Alternative transportation fuels have been represented as enablers to reduce toxic emissions in comparison to those generated by conventional fuels. At the same time, tighter emission standards and significant innovation in catalyst formulations and engine controls has led to dramatic improvements in the low emission performance and robustness of gasoline and diesel engine systems.
One approach to addressing the issue of emissions is the employment of fuel cells, particularly solid oxide fuel cells (xe2x80x9cSOFCxe2x80x9d), in an automobile. A fuel cell is an energy conversion device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. The fuel cell generates electricity and heat by electrochemically combining a gaseous fuel, such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, or a hydrocarbon, and an oxidant, such as air or oxygen, across an ion-conducting electrolyte. The fuel cell generally consists of two electrodes positioned on opposite sides of an electrolyte. The oxidant passes over the oxygen electrode (cathode) while the fuel passes over the fuel electrode (anode), generating electricity, water, and heat.
A SOFC is constructed entirely of solid-state materials, utilizing an ion conductive oxide ceramic as the electrolyte. The electrochemical cell in a SOFC is comprises an anode and a cathode with an electrolyte disposed therebetween. The components of an electrochemical cell and a SOFC are rigid and extremely fragile since they are produced from brittle materials.
In operation, a SOFC system generates electricity and heat by this electrochemical process of combining a fuel and an oxidant. The fuel (e.g., reformate) provided to the SOFC is produced in a reformer. Byproducts from the SOFC, a supply of oxidant, and a supply of reformate can be directed through a discrete waste energy recovery unit. The waste energy recovery unit is a device that converts chemical energy and thermal energy into input thermal energy for the SOFC system. This is accomplished with heat exchangers. Unlike a SOFC, the waste energy recovery unit comprises durable and heat transferable materials. These waste energy recovery units have many tubes and connections for directing the chemical and thermal energy through the large unit.
The above-discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by a fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack portion integrally connected with a waste energy recovery portion by a distribution manifold. The fuel cell stack portion has supply and exhaust openings, for the anode and the cathode thereof. The waste energy recovery portion has flow channels defined therein, and supply and exhaust openings. The distribution manifold integrally connects the fuel cell stack portion with the waste energy recovery portion. The distribution manifold has supply and exhaust passages therethrough, with the supply passages interconnecting the supply openings of the fuel cell stack portion with the supply openings of the waste energy recovery portion and the exhaust passages interconnecting the exhaust openings of the fuel cell stack portion with the exhaust opening of the waste energy recovery portion. The anode and cathode gasses are heated in the waste energy recovery portion.
The above described and other features are exemplified by the following figures and detailed description.